Computer peripheral devices (“peripherals”) are hardware that extend the capabilities of a computer system without permanently altering its architecture. Peripherals include devices that accept output from the computer, communicate input, and both.
Recently, peripherals have emerged that are specialized for use with small, portable computers, such as smartphones, tablets, and other personal digital assistants (collectively, “PDAs”). Some of these devices interact with the PDA through dedicated input/output connectors, such as USB ports, or other data communications ports. However, because many of such ports are various and often proprietary, and peripherals often need to be compatible with a variety of PDAs, peripheral manufacturers are increasingly turning to use of the uniform analog 3.5 millimeter telephone jack (“phone jack”), through which many PDAs can accept, as well as transmit, data. For example, the company Square, Inc. has developed a magnetic strip reader that uses the phone jack to process electronic transactions through a variety of PDAs. Other companies have developed a variety of peripherals including additional and different sensors than the PDA alone, using the phone jack.
As another alternative to hard-wired connections, some peripherals utilize local wireless networks to establish communications with a PDA. These may be termed personal area networks (“PAN”), although some definitions of personal area networks may include hard-wired networks. Wireless personal area networks (“PAN”) have been in use at least since the advent of BlueTooth, in 1994, created by Ericsson.
It should be understood that the disclosures in this application related to the background of the invention, in, but not limited to this section titled “Background,” do not necessarily set forth prior art or other known aspects exclusively, and may instead include art that was invented concurrently or after the present invention and conception, and details of the inventor's own discoveries and work and work results.